Chapter 9 Test Bank Questions

Short Answer Essay Questions

1. What is the scientific evidence against the existence of a sunken continent of Atlantis? What do some archaeologists believe the legend of Atlantis actually describes? Answer: f there were a sunken continent there would be a huge negative gravity anomaly beneath the Atlantic !cean since continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust. Also" in the location where Atlantis su##osedly was" only sediments and oceanic crust have been drilled" not continental crust. $he legend may describe a volcanic eru#tion that largely destroyed the %editerranean island" $hera" and caused the burial of &rete by volcanic ash and a tsunami '. What is the geological evidence that Earth had an ocean and atmos#here (.) billion years ago? Answer: Ancient sedimentary rocks have undergone weathering and so there must have been water* also some of the sedimentary rocks come from water+de#osited sediments. ,imestone re-uires water and carbon dioxide to form. Ancient #illow lavas were eru#ted into water. Stromatolite fossils" which are (.. billion years of age needed an atmos#here to live. Also there is every reason to think that there was out+gassing of carbon dioxide and water va#or from volcanoes at the time. ( Ex#lain how a seismic #rofile is created and what ty#es of information it #rovides. Answer: Sound waves are emitted by a source on or trailing behind a research shi#. $hese waves reflect from the surfaces of rock layers are recorded as they return. $he seismic wave velocity and magnitude data are used to construct a com#uteri/ed image of the rock se-uence that lies below the seafloor. $his #rofile shows the differing #ro#erties of the rock layers such as thicknesses" extents" di#s" attitudes" and internal structure. 0. What are o#hiolites" what are they com#osed of" and where are they found? Answer: !#hiolites are slivers of ancient seafloor. A com#lete o#hiolite se-uence includes dee# sea sediments" #illow basalts" sheeted basalt dikes" massive gabbro" layered gabbro" and #eridotite. !#hiolites are seen on land if they are u#lifted onto continents" usually in mountain ranges on active continental margins. ). Ex#lain how an o#hiolite comes to rest on continental crust. Answer: !#hiolites may be1 1. tra##ed between two converging continental masses and u#lifted during mountain building* '. obducted" or lifted out of subduction /ones or regions lying immediately behind subduction /ones" and thrust onto ad2acent continental crust* (. folded u#ward as the result of com#ressional forces and then thrust onto ad2acent continental crust* or 0. attached to a continental mass by accretion of an exotic terrain.

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.. What are turbidity currents and where are they found? Answer: $urbidity currents are sediment+laden" turbulent flows that are driven by gravity through submarine canyons from the continental slo#e to the continental rise. $he sediments are de#osited on the continental rise on active continental margins. 5. 4riefly ex#lain why some dee# sea de#osits have graded bedding. Answer: 3raded bedding is a sedimentary texture develo#ed in turbidite de#osits. t forms because as the turbulent flow decreases in s#eed" first the largest sediment is de#osited" then the next largest" and so on. $his results in a se-uence of sediments with the largest at the bottom and the smallest on the to#. 6. 4riefly ex#lain why the origin of some submarine canyons is not fully understood. Answer: Some canyons are remnants of stream channels that cut into the continental shelves when sea levels were lower. !ther canyons have never been associated with stream channels and are the result of turbidity currents running ra#idly down the continental margin. 7. Ex#lain how hydrothermal vents #roduce mounds of ore+rich sediments. Answer: !cean water descends dee# into fractures of the hot" new oceanic crust" heats u#" and dissolves elements from it. $he hot waters rise through the rocks" and u#on reaching normal frigid ocean water" they cool and #reci#itate the dissolved elements immediately to form mounds of metallic sulfides. 18. 4riefly ex#lain how atoll reefs develo#. Answer: $hese reefs form first on the margins of emergent volcanic islands. As the islands sink by moving farther from the hots#ot where they originated" and as the crust they are on cools and subside" the coral reefs grow u#ward" maintaining a surface 2ust below or at sea level. %eanwhile the volcano is eroded below sea level" leaving a ring of coral around where it was.

Short Answer Questions

1. What was the most #robable origin of Earth9s ocean and atmos#here? Answer: $he most #robable origin of the early ocean and atmos#here was volcanic outgassing of water va#or and other gases. '. What are the com#onents of the continental margin" from sea level toward the ocean basin? Answer: the continental shelf" the continental slo#e" and the continental rise (. What is the geological boundary of a continent? Answer: $he transition from continent to ocean is where the granitic crust gives way to basaltic crust" along and beneath the continental slo#e.

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0. What are some of the characteristics of an active continental margin? Answer: Active continental margins include earth-uakes" volcanism" young mountain ranges" and sometimes nearby ocean trenches. ). What are some of the characteristics of a #assive continental margin? Answer: ;assive continental margins are usually -uite wide* they may be fractured by faults" but do not have active faults. ;assive margins lack the earth-uakes and volcanoes of active margins. .. What is an exam#le of a #assive margin" in the Western hemis#here? Answer: the east coast of <orth America=the east coast of South America 5. What are oceanic trenches? Answer: !ceanic trenches are long" dee#" narrow features on the seafloor that are restricted to active continental margins. 6. What are some of the characteristics of oceanic trenches? Answer: &haracteristics of oceanic trenches include negative gravity anomalies" low heat flow" seismic activity=4enioff /ones" and volcanic activity. 7. What is a 4enioff /one? Answer: A 4enioff /one is a region where earth-uake foci di# stee#ly beneath an active margin. 18. What causes submarine hydrothermal vents? Answer: Seawater see#s into cracks in the oceanic crust" is heated by hot rock at de#th" and rises to the seafloor to be discharged as hot s#rings. 11. What are black smokers? Answer: 4lack smokers are chimney+like hydrothermal vents that contain water with high concentrations of metals dissolved from the basalt below. 1'. What are some of the com#onents of #elagic sediment? Answer: &om#onents of #elagic sediment include windblown dust" volcanic ash" shells of ocean+dwelling microsco#ic organisms" inorganic chemical #reci#itates" and cosmic dust. 1(. What is the difference between a fringing reef and a barrier reef? Answer: A fringing reef is one that is solidly attached to the margins of an island or continent" while a barrier reef is se#arated from a landmass by a lagoon. 10. What environmental conditions do corals re-uire to live and grow? Answer: &orals need shallow" clear water >less than about )8 m?" and tem#eratures above about '8@&.

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Aill+in+the+4lank Questions
1. $he 3reek #hiloso#her who is credited with being the source of the original two written descri#tions of the Atlantic legend is BBBBBBBBBB.

Answer: ;lato '. $he two ty#es of continental margins are BBBBBBBBBB and BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: #assive and active (. Alat surfaces covering vast areas of dee# ocean basins are known as BBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: abyssal #lains 0. Seamounts that are subse-uently buried by sediment become BBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBB. Answer: abyssal hills ). $he abyssal #lains are always ad2acent to the #art of the continental margin called the BBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: continental rise .. A geogra#hic feature characteri/ed by valleys" basaltic volcanism" and shallow+focus earth-uakes is a>n? BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: mid+ocean ridge 5. !ceanic ridges are com#osed of the rock ty#e BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: basalt 6. A flat+to##ed seamount is called a>n? BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: guyot 7. Cee# sea sediments that have settled from sus#ension far from land are called BBBBBBBBBB sediments. Answer: #elagic 18. $he area that stretches out '88 nautical miles seaward from a continent over which a country claims sovereign rights is known as the BBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: Exclusive Economic Done >EED? 11. $he /one se#arating the #art of a continent found above sea level from the dee# seafloor is known as the BBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: continental margin

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1'. $he dee#er" gently slo#ing seafloor that lies seaward of the continental slo#e is known as the BBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: continental rise. 1(. $he #erson who first #ro#osed the #resently acce#ted ex#lanation for the origin of atoll reefs was BBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: &harles Carwin 10. $he a##arent deflection of a moving ob2ect from its antici#ated course resulting from EarthEs rotation is called BBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBB. Answer: &oriolis effect

%ulti#le &hoice Questions

1. $he first true oceanogra#hic ex#edition" in 165'" was conducted by the shi# known as A. Alvin. 4. F.%.S. &hallenger. &. G! CES Hesolution. C. the 3lomar &hallenger. E. F.%.S. 4ounty. Answer: 4 '. $he first research vessel to drill into the seafloor to extract cores of sediment and oceanic crust was A. Alvin. 4. F.%.S. &hallenger. &. G! CES Hesolution. C. the 3lomar &hallenger. E. F.%.S. 4ounty. Answer: C (. $he to#ogra#hy of the ocean floor actually consists of A. sediments only a few meters thick. 4. oceanic ridges and oceanic trenches. &. thousands of submarine volcanoes dotting vast featureless #lains. C. ridges" trenches" hills" vast #lains" #lateaus" and volcanoes. E. vast submarine chasms dee#er" wider and longer than the 3rand &anyon. Answer: C 0. $urbidity current de#osits are A. #oorly sorted mixtures of mud and sand. 4. known as turbidites. &. built+u# to form submarine fans. C. caused by slum#s induced by earth-uakes. E. all of the above Answer: E

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). &ontinental shelves are widest when associated with A. island arcs and volcanism. 4. an absence of volcanism and earth-uakes. &. intense earth-uake activity. C. active margins. E. ocean trenches. Answer: 4 .. &ontinental shelves are narrowest when associated with A. an absence of earth-uakes and volcanism. 4. regions where larger continents once rifted a#art. &. island arcs" volcanism and oceanic trenches. C. #assive margins. E. submarine canyons. Answer: & 5. Which of the following are commonly associated? A. island arcs and oceanic trenches 4. volcanic arcs and oceanic trenches &. 4enioff /ones and volcanic arcs C. oceanic trenches and active continental margins E. all of the above Answer: E 6. $he oceanic ridge system of which the %id+Atlantic Hidge is a #art is at least A. .)"888 km long 4. 0."888 km long &. ')" 888 km long C. 1'"888 km long E. )"888 km long Answer: A 7. Submarine hydrothermal vents are found #rimarily A. on abyssal #lains 4. near s#reading ridges &. in oceanic trenches C. on continental margins E. in regions with dee# sediment Answer: 4 18. 4lack smokers and hydrothermal vents do <!$ #roduce which of the following? A. sulfur+rich water which su##orts unusual communities of chemosynthetic bacteria and #reviously unknown animals 4. mounds of black carbon and gra#hite brought u# in solution from the basalt below &. mounds of metal+rich sediments including iron" co##er" /inc" silver and gold ores C. #ools of metal+rich brines E. many of the worldEs de#osits of ores within basaltic crust Answer: 4

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11. 4lack smokers and hydrothermal vent communities were discovered by the submersible called A. Ielvin. 4. 3lomar &hallenger. &. Alvin. C. F.%.S. &hallenger. E. G! CES9 Hesolution. Answer: & 1'. ;elagic oo/e is com#osed of A. calcareous shells 4. siliceous shells &. fish skeletons C. A and 4 E. All of the above Answer: C 1(. &alcareous #elagic oo/e is com#osed mostly of A. diatoms and radiolarians. 4. radiolarians and foraminifera. &. foraminifera. C. radiolarians and s#onges. E. reef rubble and foraminifera. Answer: & 10. Siliceous oo/es are com#osed mostly of A. s#onges and alga. 4. diatoms >animals? and radiolarians >animals?. &. diatoms >#lants? and radiolarians >animals?. C. volcanic ash and cosmic dust. E. diatoms and foraminifera. Answer: & 1). Heefs are A. mound+like" wave+resistant structures com#osed of coral. 4. found in warm water" both shallow and dee#. &. mound+like" wave+resistant structures com#osed of skeletons. C. found throughout the world in shallow and dee# water. E. large rocks #ro2ecting from dee# water into shallow water. Answer: & 1.. $he continental shelf encom#assed by the EED #roduces A. '5J of the oil and gas #roduced by the K.S. 4. 1.5J of the oil and gas #roduced by the K.S. &. 15 J of the oil and gas #roduced by the K.S. C. 18J of the oil and gas #roduced by the K.S. E. 5 J of the oil and gas #roduced by the K.S. Answer: &

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15. $he EED of the Knited States contains over (8 sedimentary basins" some of which are known to contain A. hydrocarbons. 4. #recious metals. &. sulfide metals. C. manganese nodules. E. tar sands. Answer: A 16. Lertical ocean circulation in which water moves from dee# to shallow is called A. surface currents 4. dee# currents &. downwelling C. u#welling E. transverse lateral water movement Answer: C

$rue+Aalse Questions
BBB 1. A vertical se-uence of transgressive facies shows an offshore facies" su#er#osed on nearshore facies.

Answer: $ BBB '. $he continental shelf is always very wide" extending tens to hundreds of kilometers seaward.

Answer: A BBB (. Abyssal #lains tend to be most common seaward of #assive continental margins.

Answer: $ BBB 0. An active margin in the Western Femis#here is the west coast of South America.

Answer: $ BBB ). $renches and abyssal #lains tend to consist of or be filled with clay and biologically derived sediments.

Answer: A BBB .. &osmic dust contributes a significant amount of sediment to the dee# sea.

Answer: A

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%atching Questions
1. %atch the descri#tions with the a##ro#riate regions of continental margins1 BBB its dee#er edge lies at an average of 1() m A. &ontinental shelf BBB it is cut by many dee#" stee#+sided canyons 4. &ontinental slo#e BBB it slo#es seaward at '@ to 0@ on average" &. &ontinental rise sometimes as much as ')@ BBB changes in sea level drown and ex#ose this #ortion BBB contains glacial sediments" fossil mammoths" trees and archaeological remains BBB sedimentation here is affected by waves and tides BBB sediments here are largely de#osited by turbidity currents Answer: A" 4" 4" A" A" A" & '. %atch the a##ro#riate to#ogra#hic+geologic feature of the seafloor with the geogra#hic region cited. BBB region between the <orth Atlantic s#reading A. Abyssal ;lains ridge and the continental shelf of the Knited 4. ;assive margin States &. Active margin BBB offshore of the continental shelf of western C. !ceanic $renches South America E. S#reading Hidges BBB the regions offshore" and east of" Ga#an and the ;hili##ine slands BBB the region offshore of and south of the Aleutian slands BBB the region offshore of and surrounding 3reat 4ritain BBB the region offshore of and south of Sumatra and Gava BBB the feature containing the dee#est site in all the oceans BBB the region off the coast of southern &alifornia BBB the region off the east coast of Argentina BBB the mountain chain which includes the island of celand BBB east coast of South America Answer: 4" A" C" C" C" 4" C" C" &" 4" E (. %atch the descri#tion or feature with the a##ro#riate reef ty#e1 BBB wide and slo#e stee#ly to the seafloor A. Atoll reef BBB attached to an island or continental margin 4. Aringing reef BBB se#arated from mainland by a lagoon &. 4arrier reef BBB encircle a lagoon BBB develo# on subsiding volcanic islands BBB circular to oval in sha#e Answer: 4" 4" &" A" A" A

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